From its mouth at the Mississippi River near Wickliffe in the west to the mouth of the Big Sandy River near Ashland in the east, the Ohio River marks the northern border of Kentucky. When the state was formed in 1792, the northern border of the state was defined as the northern bank of the Ohio River; however, in many places the river’s course has shifted since 1792. In these places, the state line is either under the river or on land north of the river. One place where this happens is along US 41 in Henderson County. The Ellis Park horse racing facility and a nearby gas station are on land north of the river but south of the Indiana-Kentucky state line (USGS map of the area).

There are currently forty bridges crossing Kentucky's portion of the Ohio River. Thirty of these bridges currently carry automobile traffic. Of these four connect with Illinois, thirteen connect with Indiana, and another thirteen connect with Ohio.

The bridge was abandoned in 1969 after the merger of the New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroads and the approach trestles have long since been removed. Plans are to eventually open the bridge to pedestrian traffic.

There are plans to build two new bridges over the Ohio River at Louisville in Jefferson County. There are two bridges over the Ohio River that once carried automobile traffic but are now closed. The Kentucky & Indiana Bridge at Louisville is now exclusively a railroad bridge; however, it carried vehicle traffic until 1979. The L&N Railroad Bridge in Campbell County once carried both train and automobile traffic; however, it is now a pedestrian only bridge; however, it is officially designated as US 27C in Kentucky's route logs.

There are also three ferries across the Ohio River: a free ferry crosses the Ohio River at Cave-in-Rock, Illinois and connects to KY 91 in Crittenden County; a toll ferry crosses the Ohio River near Constance in Boone County; and another toll ferry operates across the Ohio River at Augusta in Bracken County.

I-65 and East End bridges will be tolled

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Dec. 13, 2016) – Drivers traveling in Louisville and Southern Indiana need to prepare for the start of tolling on three Ohio River bridges. Tolling on the Louisville – Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project is scheduled to begin Friday, December 30.

Tolled bridges include the two I-65 bridges connecting Downtown Louisville and Southern Indiana, the new Abraham Lincoln Bridge and the improved John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge. The new East End bridge connecting the Gene Snyder Freeway in Prospect, Ky. with State Road 265 in Utica, Ind. will also be tolled.

RiverLink is the name of the new, all-electronic tolling system that makes the project possible. There’s no stopping, no slowing, no lines and no coin machines. Toll rates range from $2-$12, depending on the size of vehicle and whether the driver has a RiverLink account and transponder.

Drivers with transponders will pay the lowest toll rates. Drivers can set up a prepaid RiverLink account to get a transponder. All E-ZPass transponders, including the I-PASS from Illinois and the Indiana Toll Road E-ZPass, will work with the RiverLink system. No further action is necessary.

Drivers without transponders will get bills in the mail, and pay higher toll rates. Drivers who do not pay their tolls will be charged a penalty and may face restrictions on vehicle registration until tolls and penalties are paid.

Opening a RiverLink Account

Drivers can open a personal account online at www.RiverLink.com, by phone at 855-RIV-LINK or in person at one of two RiverLink customer service centers. A personal account can include up to four vehicles, with a minimum balance of $20 to open the account. The account balance rolls over month to month.

The fastest way to open a RiverLink personal account is online. The website is available 24 hours a day/7 days a week with no wait. Transponders will be mailed to account holders, free of charge.

For businesses with more than four vehicles, the fastest and easiest way to open an account is by calling a specialized customer service representative at 855-RIV-LINK.

Choice of Transponders

A RiverLink local transponder is free, one per registered vehicle. The small sticker adheres to the inside of windshield, is non-transferable and will work only on tolled bridges between Louisville and Southern Indiana.

The I-64 (Sherman Minton) and the US 31/Second Street (Clark Memorial) bridges across the Ohio River will not be tolled in connection with the project. Find more information at www.RiverLink.com.

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The Louisville – Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project includes two new bridges and their approaches, an improved Kennedy Bridge and reconstruction of the Kennedy Interchange, where I-65, I-64 and I-71 come together in downtown Louisville. The new Abraham Lincoln Bridge carries six lanes of I-65 northbound traffic. The improved Kennedy Bridge carries six lanes of southbound traffic. The new East End bridge will connect the Gene Snyder Freeway in Prospect, Ky. with State Road 265 (Lee Hamilton Highway) in Utica, Ind.

A recent meeting of the Henderson City-County Planning Commission was dominated by talk of Interstate 69. The commission's land use maps do not reflect any potential routes for I-69 and its proposed Ohio River crossing and will not until a route is chosen in 2016 or later: The Gleaner: I-69 route still a mystery to planners (Sep. 14, 2015)

Some historical information form the Department of Highways District 2 about the renumbering of the route carried by the Glover Cary Bridge in downtown Owensboro (dated Sept. 20, 2011):

‘Blue Bridge’ in Owensboro gets route number changeIt closed as KY 2155 Ohio River Bridge, to reopen as KY 2262 Ohio River Bridge

OWENSBORO, Ky. – The KY 2155 Ohio River Bridge – known locally as the “Blue Bridge” and the Glover Cary Bridge in downtown Owensboro – is closed for a deck rehabilitation project. When it reopens, the bridge will have a new route designation. It will become the KY 2262 Ohio River Bridge.

The bridge over the Ohio River in downtown Owensboro will be temporarily closed during a festival in the city from September 11th to the 13th. The press release from the Department of Highways includes some facts and figures regarding the bridge that once carried US 231 into Indiana:

Traffic ADVISORY

The City of Owensboro has a permit to temporarily halt traffic on the KY 2262 Ohio River “Blue” Bridge at specific times for a Bridge Day celebration and the Owensboro Air Show on September 11, 12 and 13, 2015.

The KY 2262 Ohio River “Blue” Bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic at the following times:

Friday, September 11th

2:00 p.m., CDT, to 4:00 p.m.- Air Show Practice

Saturday, September 12th

8:00 a.m., CDT, to 4:30 p.m.- Bridge Day & Air Show

Sunday, September 13th

2:30 p.m., CDT, to 4:30 p.m.- Air Show

The City of Owensboro will provide appropriate roadway signage notifying the driving public of the bridge closure.

Also known as The Blue Bridge and the Glover Cary Bridge, the 4,622 ft. structure connects KY 2262 and Indiana State Route 161 over the Ohio River at Owensboro. Approximately 7,300 vehicles cross the Ohio River on the Blue Bridge between Kentucky and Indiana in an average day. The structure opened to traffic in September 1940 as a toll bridge. The tolls were discontinued in 1954.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 20, 2012) – The Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges project, designed to bring unprecedented improvements in cross-river mobility for the entire region, took a giant step forward today with federal approval of a new environmental impact statement.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (September 10, 2011) — The public should expect long traffic delays, especially during peak rush hours, with the indefinite closing of the Sherman Minton Bridge between Louisville and New Albany, transportation leaders on both sides of the Ohio River announced today.

Mayor Greg Fischer, joined by officials from the Indiana Department of Transportation and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, announced the following items to help alleviate some of the congestion.

When possible, it’s important for people to avoid peak travel times in the morning and evening.

People should carpool – three or four to a vehicle – to help reduce the number of automobiles on the interstates.

People should stagger their commute times – going to work early and leaving early or going to work late and leaving late.

Companies should be as flexible as possible and allow employees to work from home…to telecommute…and to have staggered arrival and departure times.

If possible, when traveling within Louisville, drivers should use surface streets and stay off the interstate. This will cause more congestion on side streets, however it will help alleviate cars on the interstates.

A detailed traffic management plan is being developed to ensure that congestion is alleviated as much as possible for as long as the bridge is closed. As soon as feasible, lanes of the Second Street Bridge will be converted to reverse lanes, though that is unlikely to occur before Monday.

When the reverse lanes are in place, there will be three southbound lanes and one northbound lane during the morning commute. For the evening commute, that will reverse, with three northbound lanes and one southbound lane. Traffic flow on the Kennedy Bridge (I-65) will remain normal.

Where possible, exit ramps along I-65 in Southern Indiana will be widened from one to two lanes to help traffic flow.

In addition, officials from the Transit Authority of River City are working with the two states to develop plans to use public transit to move people by buses across the river.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (July 11, 2011) – To help ensure the Ohio River Bridges Project moves forward, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet today filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit by River Fields and the National Trust for Historic Preservation against the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

This press release from over the winter contains some interesting information about the ferry that crosses the Ohio River between Kentucky and Illinois at Cave-in-Rock, Illinois. From the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Department of Highways:

Cave-In-Rock Ferry Resumes ServiceIce that halted service since Saturday is cleared from Kentucky Landing

MARION, KY (January 14, 2010) – The Cave-In-Rock Ferry has resumed service after being closed since about 2:00 p.m. Saturday by ice on the Ohio River.

Ice accumulated at the Kentucky landing blocking ferry access to the landing ramp. This morning ferry operator Lonnie Lewis was able to clear the ice away from the landing ramp. That has allowed the ferry to open for service today.

The Cave-In-Rock Ferry connects KY 91 with ILLINOIS Route 1 across the Ohio River between Crittenden County, KY, and Hardin County, IL.

The ferry normally operates from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. central time, 7 days a week. The ferry carries about 500 vehicles across the Ohio River in an average day.

The Cave-In-Rock Ferry is operated by an independent contractor with joint funding from KYTC and Idot through a ferry authority.

Kentucky and Indiana will apply for federal money to replace the narrow bridge carrying US 421 over the Ohio River between Madison, Indiana and Milton, Kentucky. If approved, the plan is demolish the current bridge and build a similar looking, wider bridge in its place using the existing piers. Weight restrictions were placed on the existing bridge earlier this year due to what was described as advanced deterioration.

MADISONVILLE, Ky.  If youve driven along the Wendell Ford-Western Kentucky Parkway or any number of other highways in Western Kentucky you may have noticed some odd looking purple prisms hanging in trees along the roadside. The strange looking structures have generated several dozen calls to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and area police agencies.

According to Kentucky State Entomologist Dr. John J. Obrycki, the oddly shaped bright purple structures are taps put out to monitor the spread of the emerald ash borer.

The US 421 bridge over the Ohio River at Milton in Trimble County has been placed off limits to trucks weighing more than 15 tons after a December inspection found "advanced deterioration on various components of the bridge."

The Sherman Minton Bridge which carries I-64 over the Ohio River west of downtown Louisville was closed for about three hours this morning after being struck by a barge. An inspection found that the bridge had only suffered superficial damage.

A committee in the Indiana House of Representatives has approved a bill that would create a commission coordinate activities related to the construction of two new Interstate bridges over the Ohio River near Louisville and a new bridge to replace the US 421 bridge over the Ohio River between Milton, KY and Madison, IN.

Ownership of the “Purple People Bridge” is closer to being transferred to a not-for-profit organization. The Newport city council recently voted to accept ownership of the bridge from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, and to transfer ownership of the bridge to the not-for-profit Newport Southbank Bridge Company.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet expected to open the state’s first roadway constructed on a foam base ahead of schedule. A one-mile section of KY 8 along the bank of the Ohio River in Campbell County is being reconstructed in attempt to prevent problems with cracking and slipping of the road.

A not-for-profit organization has raised and spent thousands of dollars to beautify the former L&N Bridge over the Ohio River at Newport; however, plans to transfer ownership of the bridge to Southbank Partners have been delayed. Part of the bridge—the former railroad tracks—is still owned by L&N’s successor corporation CSX Transportation. The road portion of the bridge has been converted to a pedestrian walkway and is owned by Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Questions over who will pay for the upkeep of parts of the structure have lead to the delay in transferring the state owned portion of the bridge.

The Federal Aviation Administration has raised concerns that a proposed cable-stayed bridge across the Ohio River between Ironton, Ohio and Russell, Kentucky might interfere with navigation to a nearby airport. The $68 million bridge will replace the current Ironton-Russell Bridge, a narrow, two-lane structure which was completed in 1922.

Contractors have encountered a problem with “surface scale” while repainting the I-65 bridge over the Ohio River. The rust-laced surface scale is proving harder to remove from the bridge than originally expected.

The U.S. House of Representatives recently approved a bill that includes $3.1 million for the construction of a greenway project in Louisville. The project will eventually form a loop along the Ohio River in Louisville and Southern Indiana–the two sides of the river would be connected by walkways across the K&I Bridge and the Big Four Bridge.

Progress is once again visible on the U.S. Grant Bridge south of Portsmouth, Ohio. A new bridge is being constructed over the Ohio River on the site of a bridge demolished in 2001. The Ohio Department of Transportation has a scheduled opening date of October 31, 2006 for the new bridge.

Budget concerns in Indiana may delay a project to widen US 231 in Southern Indiana from the Natcher Bridge to I-64. The priority of unstarted highway projects has been under review since Gov. Mitch Daniels took office in January. Under the revised 10-year plan the US 231 widening project might be delayed until 2014.

Local leaders (including officials from Daviess County in Kentucky) met with Indiana’s Gov. Mitch Daniels last week and were assured that while the project would be delayed, it would not be delayed until 2014.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has hired a ferry that will carry farm equipment across the Ohio River near the Shawneetown Bridge. Traffic on the bridge is currently restricted due to a repainting project, and an analysis found that it would cost less to temporarily operate a ferry than to periodically clear equipment from the bridge to allow oversized farm equipment to pass.

Work to repaint Ashland’s twin Ohio River bridges is expected to begin this summer. A project to repaint the 13th Street Bridge is expected to begin this summer, and work to repaint the 12th Street Bridge is expected to begin in 2007.

Residents of Licking Riverside Historic Neighborhood in Covington are seeking traffic changes to reduce thru traffic through neighborhood streets. The neighborhood sits near the approach to the Roebling Suspension Bridge.

The Ohio Department of Transportation has announced that the new U.S. Grant Bridge over the Ohio River at Portsmouth, Ohio should be open to traffic in late-2006. The new cable-stayed bridge for US 23 was originally to be opened in 2004.

An east extension of the US 60 Bypass around Owensboro has been identified as Owensboro’s top transportation priority by the Owensboro-Daviess County Urban Area Transportation's technical advisory committee. Construction on the project to extend the bypass toward the Natcher Bridge is expected to begin in 2008 and be completed by 2011.

The committee also rejected the idea of widening Frederica Street (US 431) to six lanes.

A Transportation Cabinet Engineer reported to the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce that a study of how to best upgrade or replace the Brent Spence Bridge has shown that the I-71/I-75 bridge over the Ohio River should carry seven lanes of traffic in each direction.

The mayors of Louisville and New Albany, Indiana are proposing that the K&I Bridge west of downtown Louisville become part of a 14-mile bicycle/pedestrian loop along the Ohio River in Louisville and Southern Indiana. The railroad bridge is owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern railroad. The bridge consists of two sets of railroad tracks—that carry up to thirty trains per day—down the center flanked by auto lanes on either side. The bridge was closed to vehicle traffic after an overweight truck broke through the metal grating of the roadway.

A spokesman for Norfolk Southern expressed concerns over the safety of such a plan.

Land in the path of the proposed bridge east of downtown Louisville is being developed, partially because of Kentucky’s laws governing right-of-way acquisition. Under Kentucky law, if land is condemned for the purchase of a highway, the original owner may repurchase it at the sale price if the land isn’t used in eight years.

The final environmental impact statement for the preferred route of I-69 east of Henderson is expected this summer. The United Stated Department of Transportation will likely issue a record of decision on the route 60 to 90 days after the report’s release. The proposed route would begin at I-164 in Indiana, cross the Ohio River east of US 41, and cross the Audubon Parkway before joining the Pennyrile Parkway south of Henderson: Henderson Gleaner: I-69 decision likely this summer (Jan. 20, 2005)

A recent report finds that the Brent Spence Bridge will remain structurally sound for at least the next 16 years so long as the bridge receives regular maintenance. This contradicts a 1999 study that found the bridge’s structural integrity would fail within 15 years.

Just days after a study revealed Louisville to be a statistically dangerous place for pedestrians, the National Center for Bicycling and Walking led a workshop to discuss ways to improve pedestrian safety in Louisville. Bob Chauncey, the policy director for the organization, praised the recent addition of bike lanes in Seneca Park and urged the city to move forward with the Big Four Bridge project: Courier-Journal: Officials discuss ways to improve walking safety (Dec. 7, 2004)

The recently announced compact between Kentucky and Ohio specifies that Ohio will contribute 54.5 percent of the expected $18 million cost of a study to determine how to best replace the Brent Spence Bridge. Kentucky will contribute the remaining 45.5 percent.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Division of Planning has recently released the Final Report of the Pre-Design Scoping study for improvements to the Kentucky 69 approach to the Bob Cummings Bridge in Hawesville: more information

Additionally, materials involving a study of a proposed route between US 68 and Tollesboro in Fleming, Mason, and Lewis County: more information

Information regarding alternatives for a new connector route between Harlan and Hazard has also been posted: more information

The engineering firm Michael Baker Jr. Inc. has been chosen to design the new downtown bridge that is part of the Louisville-Southern Indiana Bridges Project. Designs for the bridge will eventually be presented at public meeting and displayed on www.kyinbridges.com. Construction is tentatively expected to begin in 2007.

The ceremonial painting of a beam at Louisville’s Waterfront Park marked the beginning of a multi-year project to repaint I-65’s bridge over the Ohio River. The bridge will be painted in a scheme consisting of three colors: green, beige and chestnut brown. The project is also being staged in such away to limit the impact on motorists. Usually, at most one lane in either direction will be closed; however, two lanes may be closed between the hours of 1am-5am throughout the duration of the project. The pain job is expected to last for 30 to 40 years.

A new connector route in Indiana provides a new route from Hawesville to I-64 in southern Indiana. The new Indiana 237 connects the Bob Cummings Bridge over the Ohio River at Hawesville to Indiana 37 and I-64.

In late September, the Simon Kenton Memorial Bridges was rededicated following a multiyear rehabilitation project. The bridge was originally dedicated Nov. 25, 1931. In addition to numerous local and state officials, two women who participated at the original dedication ceremony were on hand.

After years of delays and scandals, another project to repaint the Kennedy Bridge over the Ohio River at Louisville has begun. The $8.7 million project has a deadline of July 31, 2006. The bridge was last painted in the 1970s.

Traffic on the Shawneetown Bridge will be reduced to one, narrow lane during a project to repaint the bridge. The traffic constriction will be in place through November 15 when the project pauses for the winter and will return once the project resumes next spring. The project is expected to last until November 2005.

Work is underway to replace joints and replace the deck of the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge over the Ohio River at Covington. The bridge, which shares piers with the neighboring C&O railroad bridge, opened in 1974 and carries US 25, US 127, and US 42 into Cincinnati.

The Kentucky Court of Appeals has ruled that Louisville may condemn the Big Four Bridge and incorporate it into plans for a waterfront park. The railroad bridge was abandoned in 1969 after the merger of the New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroads and has sat unused since. The city would like to turn the bridge into a pedestrian walkway over the Ohio River. Despite losing yet another round in the legal battle for the bridge, a lawyer representing the current owners of the bridge plan to continue fighting.

The US 51/US 60/US 62 bridge at Wickliffe, the US 45 bridge at Paducah, and the KY 56 bridge in Union County will all received new solar powered river navigation lights: USATODAY.com: Kentucky (July 9, 2004)

While several Henderson County road projects are facing delays, transportation officials report that the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Evansville-Henderson section of I-69 should be complete late this year.

Start of the US 60 widening project in southeast Henderson will likely be delayed until 2006 due to slow right-of-way acquisition.

Several miles of the Pennyrile Parkway are due to be repaved once money becomes available, and the twin US 41 bridges over the Ohio River are scheduled to be repainted in 2005 and 2006.

That state has awarded a contract to paint the Kennedy Bridge. The winning contract was awarded to Atlantic Painting Co. of Oak Lawn, Ill. That company submitted the low bid at $17,777,777. Work is planned to begin by August, and the deadline for project completion is July 31, 2006. This project will be the largest project ever undertaken by Atlantic Painting.

Painting of the bridge was suspended in 2001 after contractors disclosed a state bridge inspector had been asking for bribes.

The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge between Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky was last painted in 1980. Today the paint is chipping and the bridge is rusting; however, it is unlikely the bridge will be painted anytime soon. At one point, the bridge was planned to be repainted in 1998; however, Kentucky delayed the project because of construction on Fort Washington Way in Cincinnati. Now a debate over the color to paint the bridge and a tight budget has kept the $6 million project from being listed in the Six-Year Road Plan.

Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) says that funding for a study on how to replace or rehabilitate the Brent Spence Bridge is caught up in in-fighting over the federal transportation spending bill. The bill is currently in conference where conflicts between the House and Senate versions are resolved. In addition to resolving the differences between the bills, congress must also attempt to find a bill that pleases the president who has said he will veto any bill costing more than $256 billion.

Additionally, the governors of Kentucky and Ohio recently met. Both pledged support for the bridge replacement.

Area leaders are concerned about the state of the John A. Roebling Bridge over the Ohio River between Covington and Cincinnati. While the L&N Bridge and I-471 bridge have recently been repainted, the suspension bridge still suffers from exterior rusting. State transportation officials say the exterior rust poses no danger to the integrity of the bridge and that the over $6 million price tag is delaying the repainting effort.

On April 1, the Simon Kenton suspension bridge over the Ohio River at Maysville closed to traffic. This is part of the second year of a two-year project to refurbish the bridge. The bridge will reopen later this year. Travelers should use the new William H. Harsha Bridge a few miles downstream from the Kenton Bridge.

Original construction of the bridge took only one year. It opened to traffic in 1931.

If all goes as planned, by the end of 2005 I-65’s Kennedy Bridge over the Ohio River will be completely repainted for the first time since 1977. Originally the bridge was to be repainted in 1993; however, inspectors found cracks that needed to be repaired before continuing. In 1999, workers began repainting the bridge. The job ended two years later when contractors walked off the job claiming that state inspectors had solicited bribes. One inspector pleaded guilty to federal charges and is serving a six-year jail term.

The L&N Bridge over the Ohio River will receive beautification improvements on the Ohio side to match the improvements on the Kentucky side. The bridge—which carried both vehicle and rail traffic when it opened in 1872—was closed to traffic in 2001. Trains last used the bridge in 1984. Today, the bridge has been painted purple and is open to pedestrian traffic; due to this it is now locally known as the “Purple People Bridge.”

The Green River Area Development District is planning a detailed study of traffic in downtown Owensboro. Traffic patterns in Owensboro have changed after the opening of the William H. Natcher Bridge to the east of the city.

One of the most highly visible road projects in Northern Kentucky this summer will be the repainting of the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge over the Ohio River on I-471. The under structure of the bridge was repainted last summer; this summer the bridge's arches will be repainted.

The Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge over the Ohio River at Maysville will close this summer for repair work. The bridge was closed last summer as part of the same repair project, but has been open over the past winter. The bridge will close April 1 and is planned to reopen August 31.

Transportation officials from Kentucky and Indiana held two public meetings this week to discuss the construction of I-69 between I-164 in Indiana and the Pennyrile Parkway in Henderson County. The preferred route will include twelve miles of new highway and a new Ohio River bridge.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has eliminated a couple of alternatives from the Brent Spence Bridge replacement study. A plan to build a bridge for I-75 far to the west of downtown near the Anderson Ferry will not be studied, and a plan to build a bridge to the west of the current bridge along with a large new interchange west of downtown Cincinnati will not be studied. The latter was one of the six alternatives presented in January.

The changes were announced during a meeting of local transportation officials on Wednesday. At the same meeting, engineers presented data on why a tunnel was not a feasible alternative.

Backers for a proposed project to replace the Brent Spence Bridge see promise in a proposed two-year extension of the federal six-year highway plan. In order to avoid long deliberations over a new six-year plan, the Congress may opt to extend the current six-year plan for two years. Lobbyists for the Brent Spence Bridge project would use the extra two years to build support for including funding for the bridge replacement in the next plan.

Additionally, a ban on trucks crossing the bridge has been considered; however, such a ban would not serve as a permanent solution as it would only cause further congestion on other bridges and highways in the area.

A Henderson County landowner has asked the Henderson City-County Planning Commission to consider plans for a major subdivision on his land. The land in question, between Wathen Lane and the Ohio River, lies in the path of recently recommended route of I-69. The Evansville Urban Transportation Study has asked to the commission to require that future home buyers be informed of the proposed route of I-69 if plans for the subdivision are ultimately approved.

Officials with Greater Cincinnati’s main transportation planning committee say they may have found a possible source for funding to pay for rehabilitating or replacing the Brent Spence Bridge. The house version of a six-year transportation spending bill currently under consideration in the U.S. Congress includes a $20.2 billion fund for “projects of regional or national importance.” The group hopes that the Brent Spence Bridge would be considered one of these projects. The bridge was recently identified as one of the top twenty four highway bottlenecks nationwide, and forms a vital link on I-75—the nation’s second busiest north-south interstate.

According to an Associated Press story, U.S. Senator Jim Bunning told a Louisville civic group that one of Louisville’s new interstate bridges over the Ohio River will need to be delayed. The Associated Press reports that Sen. Bunning later told a WHAS-TV reporter, “I think it's very important that you get a bridge ... and make sure you decide where you are going to put the first one. And then, you are going to have to wait a year or two or three because we have to divert some money up into northern Kentucky to get that because ours is falling down.”

This shocked Louisville leaders. The two bridges have already been approved by the Federal Highway Administration as a single project, and the proposed state budget has allocated $118 million to continue design work for the bridges. Bunning said that the Louisville will get one bridge and then money will be used to replace the Brent Spence Bridge carrying I-71/I-75 over the Ohio River in Northern Kentucky. Bunning is from Northern Kentucky.

On Saturday, Bunning told a report from Louisville’s Courier-Journal that he never said the second bridge would be delayed and refused to give further comment.

Steve Higdon, president of Greater Louisville Inc, said that he believes Bunning was unaware that the two bridges had been approved as a single project and that as soon Bunning was made aware of this fact it would “put the entire issue to rest.”

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell said on Friday that he believes the U.S. Congress will pass a six-year transportation bill within the next few weeks; however, he has no idea if funding will be included for a replacement for the Brent Spence Bridge. He says that Kentucky’s junior senator, Jim Bunning, has taken the lead on securing funding for the bridge replacement project.

Transportation Cabinet Secretary Bailey told state legislators on Wednesday that no projects were cut from this year's version of the Six Year Highway plan; however, some projects have delayed due to the states budget problems.

The list of projects is too long to list here; however, some notable projects are listed below.

$118 million for the Louisville-Southern Indiana Bridges Project. Some of this money will be raised by selling bonds that would be repaid when promised federal funding is allocated for the project.

$78 million for reconstruction of the Owensboro bypass to the east of its current alignment. This is meant to improve access to the William H. Natcher Bridge.

Widening of I-64 from Louisville to Shelbyville.

Widening of I-65 from the Tennessee State Line to Bowling Green.

Widening of I-75 in Scott and Grant counties.

Southern extensions of both the Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway and the William H. Natcher Parwkay.

A notable absence from the list is funding for replacing the I-71/I-75 Brent Spence Bridge over the Ohio River; however, the project remains on the unscheduled needs list and officials claim that it is still a priority. Construction on the project is still over a decade away.

This year the transportation cabinet has split the list into projects that will receive federal funding and projects that will not receive federal funding. Projects that will be funded only by the state are expected to be delayed and will be prioritized by need.

Update (Feb. 29, 2004): More information about projects in particular areas can be found here.

One of the six options for replacing the Brent Spence Bridge would free land in downtown Cincinnati that is currently covered by the I-75/I-71 interchange for development. This land would be situated adjacent to the city.s new sporting venues.

EVANSVILLE-- Maxwell Clay Bailey, Secretary of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, and J. Bryan Nicol, Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), jointly announced today that the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the I-69 extension between Henderson, Kentucky and Evansville, Indiana has been approved by the Federal Highway Administration.
“This I-69 corridor will provide an important connection between Kentucky and Indiana,” said Secretary Bailey. “This vital transportation link will mean improved mobility, safer travel and expanded economic opportunities for our states and for the nation.”

The study consists of evaluating the potential of constructing a new interstate highway between the cities of Henderson and Evansville, as well as the potential for a new Ohio River Bridge between the two cities. Although four alternatives were evaluated in detail, the DEIS identifies one of two eastern alternatives, Alternative 2, as the preferred alternative. Alternative 2 will utilize more than 18 miles of existing I-164 before entering new alignment just east of the Green River Road interchange in Evansville. The Alternative will then travel south on new alignment across a new Ohio River bridge crossing where it will connect to the Breathitt Parkway in Henderson, KY. The total length of Alternative 2 is approximately 30.2 miles and is estimated to cost approximately $652 million to construct.

Two alternatives (Alternatives 1 and 1A) west of Evansville were evaluated but are not considered preferred alternatives because of several factors, including impacts to numerous historic properties and construction cost. The construction cost of each of the western alternatives is approximately $1 billion.
A second eastern alternative was also evaluated. Although this alternative, Alternative 3, utilizes approximately 17.2 miles of existing I-164, it travels just east of Angel Mounds State Historic Site, a National Landmark. Alternative 3 would travel south on I-164 and begin new alignment near the I-164/SR 662 interchange. Alternative 3 was not identified as a preferred alternative because of several factors, including impacts to the National Landmark and a high number of residential relocations at I-164/SR662.

Commissioner Nicol said, “This project reinforces the basic purpose and need of constructing and extending a new Interstate 69 that will eventually link us with Canada and Mexico-two of our largest trading partners.”

“The partnership on this project between Indiana and Kentucky has been phenomenal,” added Secretary Bailey. “INDOT, KYTC, the Evansville Urban Transportation Study (EUTS) and the Divisions of the Federal Highway Administration from both Indiana and Kentucky all agree that Alternative 2 is the preferred Alternative based on the initial investigations.”
Public hearings to take comments on the DEIS will be at the Henderson High School gymnasium on March 16 and at Reitz High School in Evansville on March 17. Doors will open at 5 p.m. with formal presentations beginning at 6 p.m. for both hearings. Public comments will be accepted until Monday, April 19, 2004.

Comments can be sent to Mr. Tim Miller, HNTB Corporation, 111 Monument Circle, Suite 1200, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46204, or by visiting the project Web site www.i69in-ky.com. Comments on the draft report will be considered before a Final Environmental Impact Statement is published within a year.

Two meeting have been scheduled to discuss the preferred alignment: March 16, 2004 from 5 PM to 9 PM at Henderson County High School Gym and March 17, 2004 from 5 PM to 9 PM at Reitz High School Cafeteria

Transportation Cabinet Secretary Maxwell Clay Bailey has pledged his support for the Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project; however, he has declined to answer question about how much funding will be included for the project in the next Six-Year Highway Plan. The plan is expected to be released later this week. Bailey’s refusal to answer has raised concern among some bridge supporters that the state will not fully fund its required share of the bridge construction costs.

The Taylor-Southgate Bridge over the Ohio River at Covington was closed this morning after barge hit one of the bridge’s piers. There was no obvious damage to the barge nor to the bridge; however, the bridge must remain closed until inspectors can survey the bridge. There is no word on how long this process will take.

Among the many things that will be impacted by the final design for a Brent Spence Bridge replacement is a Cinergy electric substation just west of the current bridge on the Cincinnati side. It would cost $300 million to move the substation.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has released a set of six preliminary corridors to examine during the study on how to best replace or rehabilitate the Brent Spence Bridge over the Ohio River in Northern Kentucky. All options include the construction of at least one new bridge and many would separate I-71 traffic from I-75 traffic.

The 2004 federal omnibus spending bill which was approved by the senate last week includes $2 million to continue funding for a study on how to replace the aging I-71/I-75 Brent Spence Bridge across the Ohio River and $1.5 million for a connector route between the AA Highway and I-275.

A study by the Evansville Urban Transportation Survey found that an interstate around the western edge of Evansville would cost $500 million and only carry 7,000 vehicles per day. It is assumed that a route the final preferred route between I-69 and the Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway will follow I-164 in Indiana before crossing into Henderson County east of the city of Henderson.

In addition to the two proposed new bridges in eastern Jefferson County, Louisville Metro Councilman Doug Hawkins is pushing for the construction of a bridge over the Ohio River in the western part of the county. The bridge would be two-lanes and would connect the Gene Snyder Freeway with either Cane Run Road or Indiana 111.

The environment impact study for the two proposed interstate bridges included a southwest bridge option; however, it concluded that traffic usage would not be high. A southwestern bridge would likely carry 14,000 cars per day compared to 68,000 for the easternmost proposed interstate bridge.

Cincinnati area leaders are attempting to promote the benefits of building a new bridge across the Ohio River to replace the aging Brent Spence Bridge. A replacement is expected to cost $750 million; however, local leaders feel the benefits of such a bridge would far out way the costs.

Transportation officials held a meeting in December to consider changing the approach to the Bob Cummings-Lincoln Trail Bridge in Hawesville. Any changes are not scheduled for construction in the current Six Year Plan; however, locals hope a lobbying campaign will move the project higher up the state.s list of priorities.

The four-lane Natcher Bridge currently serves only 4,500 vehicles per day while the two-lane Grover Carey Bridge in Owensboro serves 10,000 vehicles per day and the two-lane Bob Cummings-Lincoln Trail Bridge at Hawesville serves 8,900 vehicles per day; however, transportation officials expect traffic on the bridge to increase once an extension of the Owensboro bypass is completed and US 231 is widened to four lanes in Indiana.

Transportation officials from Kentucky and Indiana have adopted a plan to encourage minority-owned business involvement in the construction of two new interstate bridges over the Ohio River at Louisville.

U.S. Representative Ann Northup secured $750,000 in federal funding for a Corps of Engineers study on converting the abandoned Big Four railroad bridge in downtown Louisville to a pedestrian walkway connecting Louisville and Jeffersonville, Indiana.

A coalition, co-chaired by the senior vice-president of Toyota North America, has been formed to lobby for money needed to study and construct a replacement for the aging Brent Spence Bridge over the Ohio River. When the bridge opened in 1963, it was designed to carry 80,000 vehicles per day. Today it carries 149,000 vehicles per day.

Tim Ward of C.J. Mahan Construction Co has contributed aerial photographs of the Illinois Central Railroad Bridge at Metropolis, Illinois and the US 45 bridge at Brookport, Illinois. These have been added to the Bridges of the Ohio River Photo Gallery. Thanks to Tim for the contribution!

The Ohio Department of Transportation plans to soon release more information about the design of a new bridge over the Ohio River between Russell, Kentucky and Ironton, Ohio. The bridge will be a cable-stayed bridge.

Leaders seek to replace the aging Brent Spence Bridge over the Ohio River. The eight-lane bridge which was built in 1963 and last remodeled in 1985, is one of 15 bridges nationwide described by the FHWA as functionally obsolete. A study is currently underway to determine how to best replace the bridge.

The Federal Highway Administration issued a Record of Decision marking the approval of the Environmental Impact Study of the Louisville-Southern Indiana Bridge Project. This clears the way for final design and right-of-way acquisition.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Transportation honored the transportation cabinet.s environmental stewardship in developing the bridge plans.

Owensboro residents chose to continue to use blue paint to paint the Glove Cary Bridge over the Ohio River. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet now let locals select the color to paint bridges, and Owensboro residents chose to continue the at least 40 year old tradition of having the Blue Bridge in downtown.

Development of the Newport Levee has caused a considerable increase in traffic (and traffic accidents) on I-471's Daniel Carter Beard Bridge over the Ohio River between Cincinnati and Newport. Newport city leaders are pressing to rebuild the ramps from I-471 south bound to KY 8; however, the project is not currently listed on the six year highway plan.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will begin repainting the Glover H. Cary bridge in downtown Owensboro in 2006; however, before then, the cabinet must choose a color for the new paint. Owensboro residents will be able to voice their opinion on the bridges new color beginning Friday. Residents will be able to vote at the Daviess County Public Library, Towne Square Mall, and online at the Messenger-Inquirer website.

Area students were given a chance to vote on the bridge color in the spring. Blue is the current front runner with 44% of the vote with teal (22%), brick red (17%), and green (14%) following. The bridge was last painted in 1987 and is currently teal.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has begun an $8.9 million project to repair the deck the US 31 Clark Memorial Bridge across the Ohio River at Louisville. Delays on the bridge have forced some drivers to seek alternate routes across the Ohio River.

A new two-lane ramp from I-71 to KY 35 promises better access to the Kentucky Speedway.

Two more projects are planned for the speedway area: widening of I-71 to three lanes north of the speedway and the construction of a new road from I-71 Exit 55 to the bridge across the Ohio River at Markland Dam.

The House Appropriations Committee approved a transportation spending bill that allocated $2.5 million to study replacing the I-71/I-75 Brent Spent Bridge over the Ohio River. The bill must still be passed by the full house, the Senate, and signed by the President before becoming law.

In February, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet launched a $2 million study to determine how to best replace the aging bridge.

Signs directing travelers to the Shawneetown Bridge will be installed at several intersections on the Morganfield bypass (KY 3393). The bridge to Illinois over the Ohio River is 12 miles west of Morganfield on KY 56.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has released the final report for the conceptual feasibility study for the Northern Kentucky Outer Loop, and the finding is that such an outer loop is not feasible.

The proposed route would connect with I-74 in Indiana, pass into Kentucky at the Markland Dam in Gallatin County, travel east-west across Kentucky, cross the Ohio River into Ohio at the William H. Harsha bridge near Maysville, and connect with a proposed extension of I-74 in Ohio. A two-year long study of this route found that the entire route would not be financially feasible in Kentucky; however, the study found that several segments of the route would have an independent of utility. The study divided the route into six sections and assigned them the following priorities:

US 127 to I-75 - 15.1 miles (Owen and Grant Counties)

I-71 to US 127 - 6.8 miles (Gallatin/Carroll and Owen Counties)

I-75 to US 27 - 17.6 miles (Grant and Pendleton Counties)

US 27 to KY 9 - 29 miles (Pendleton, Bracken, and Mason Counties)

Indiana to I-71 - 7 miles (Carroll/Gallatin Counties)

KY 9 to Ohio - 2.9 miles (Mason County)

The study found that construction of a proposed highway (Indiana State Road 101) from I-74 in Indiana to the Markland Dam would improve the usability of the Indiana to I-71 segment of the Outer Loop.

The release of the report does not guarantee that anything will be built. Construction is dependent on future funding.

The Kroger grocery in Maysville has a replica of the Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge located near the produce section and photographs of the construction of the bridge near the entrance to the store. The Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge is a suspension bridge over the Ohio River. It was constructed in the 1930s and carries Business US 62 and Business US 68 into Ohio.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet released the 2003 version of the official highway map on May 29. There were no apparent major changes over the previous year's, except for the fact that on June 10, the map was modified to show the former Daniel Boone Parkway as the Hal Rogers Parkway.

The Indiana, Kentucky, and the Federal Highway Administration have reached a 40-page agreement with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation that is aimed to protect historic properties near the sites of the two proposed bridges over the Ohio River at Louisville.

In other news, the Environmental Impact Study has been approved. The most recent federal budge includes $8 million to begin purchasing right of way, construction could start in four years, and the project should be complete by 2020. Total construction costs could be as much as $2.5 billion.

The Ohio Department of Transportation installed falcon birdhouses on the Ironton-Russell Bridge. The birdhouses were placed on the opposite of the bridge from the sidewalk to discourage interaction between the birds and pedestrians on the bridge.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reported in this January 16, 2003 article that leaders from the Cincinnati area planned to seek quick federal assistance in replacing the Brent Spence Bridge over the Ohio River. The bridge is route of I-71 and I-75 over the Ohio River from Kentucky into Ohio.

The KYTC has posted a new newsletter concerning the construction of the Northern Kentucky Outer Loop.

Consideration of routes for the Northern Kentucky Outer Loop has been narrowed to a five to ten mile corridor stretching from the Markland Dam in Gallatin County to the Ohio River near Maysville. The road will not be part of I-74; however, it is being studied as part of an effort to extend I-74 eastward from Cincinnati.

The Ohio Department of Transportation has been monitoring the temperature of the Ironton-Russell Bridge. The steel on the aging bridge becomes very brittle when it reaches low temperatures. If the temperature drops below minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit, ODOT will temporarily close the bridge.

The Brent Spence Bridge which carries I-71 and I-75 over the Ohio River is projected to only have about 15 more years of useful life. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is beginning a 30 month study to determine how to extend the life of the bridge or how to best replace it.

Work on the Owensboro approach to the Glover Cary Bridge should be mostly complete in a few weeks. J.R. Miller Boulevard is being realigned so that aligns with the bridge. Landscaping and final paving should be complete this spring.

The Natcher Bridge probably won't open until around Oct. 10. Grouting of the tables was recently completed, and now wind ties must be attached to the cables. These ties are intended to restrict the movement of the cables during high wind. Other remaining work includes pouring concrete to complete the roofs of the two towers, painting, and electrical work. The construction equipment including two large cranes must be removed.

The joint Kentucky and Indiana group studying possible routes for the I-69 Ohio River crossing will hold an "emergency" public meeting to discuss three proposed routes for I-69 to connect Henderson and Evansville. They will have maps showing more detail than previous maps.

The meeting will be held from 4pm to 7pm Monday, September 23, at Henderson County High School.

Jacob Newkirk reports in this Usenet post that the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will probably renumber US 231 through downtown Owensboro as Kentucky 2155.

It has also been said that the Indiana Department of Transportation will renumber old US 231 in Indiana as Indiana 161. (See here and here.)

The Glover Cary Bridge over the Ohio River at downtown Owensboro is in Kentucky so, if current plans hold, will be part of Kentucky 2155. The stateline is on the north side of the river, and the "Welcome to Kentucky" sign is at the north end of the bridge. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will continue to maintain the 62-year old bridge.

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer Bridge Coverage

The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer ran a series of articles about the Natcher Bridge and other area bridges in their August 30, 2002 edition. You need to complete their free registration to view these articles online:

In October, the city of Owensboro will begin work on the approach to the Glover Cary Bridge in downtown Owensboro. This work will include widening the approach to the bridge and widening J.R. Miller Boulevard between Third and Fourth Streets. This work includes demolition of a house that sits across the street from the approach to the bridge.

The new William H. Natcher Bridge over the Ohio River was officially dedicated on Friday, August 16, 2002. The $70 million span connects eastern Daviess County, Kentucky to Spencer County in Indiana. During the dedication ceremony, politicians from both sides of the river remarked on the significance the new bridge will play in the development of Western Kentucky and Southern Indiana. They also recalled the hard work and determination of the late-U.S. Representative William H. Natcher for whom the bridge is named. After the ceremony, despite the rain, hundreds of visitors took an opportunity to walk across the nearly completed bridge.

The rumor date for the opening of the bridge is Sept. 25. Installation of guardrails and striping on the Indiana side still needs to be completed. Also the grouting of the cable stays has not yet been completed.

When the bridge opens US 231 will be rerouted onto the eastern portion of Owensboro's US 60 bypass, then along US 60, then onto a new four lane highway, and then across the bridge into Indiana. No word on what route number, if any, will be used to redesignate the existing route of US 231 which includes the Cary Bridge in downtown Owensboro.

As reported earlier, a new turn lane was added at the intersection of Winchester Avenue and 13th Street in Ashland to provide better access to the Simeon Willis Bridge over the Ohio River. The new turn lane appears to be working as intended.

The KYTC has posted this press release with information about the Natcher Bridge dedication ceremony. As mentioned previously on this website, the dedication ceremony will be held on the Kentucky side of the bridge at 1:30 pm Central Time. Parking will be available on the roadway leading to the bridge and at Hawe's Truck Stop located on 6057 SR 2830 (Old US 60). A shuttle bus will take visitors to the bridge.

Also, the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer notes that there have been no fatalities or very serious injuries during the 5-1/2 year construction of the bridge (the most serious reported injury was a broken ankle); however, six men were killed when a plane carrying engineers to study the construction site crashed at takeoff in 1990.

I recently discovered this presentation about the William H. Natcher Bridge on the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Web Site. The presentation contains information about the bridge along with pictures taken at several points during its construction.

The Kentucky Department of Highways will modify the interserction of Winchester Avenue and 13th Street in Ashland to provide two turn lanes for cars turning onto the Simeon Willis Bridge over the Ohio River.

The William H. Natcher Bridge over the Ohio River near Owensboro will be dedicated on August 16; however, the bridge will not open to traffic that day. The approach on the Indiana side has yet to be completed.

The dedication ceremony beings at 1:30 pm on August 16 and is open to the public. Visitors will be able to walk across the bridge. Visitors will be able to park on the highway on the Kentucky side of the bridge.

I've updated the William H. Natcher Bridge page with pictures that I took on June 25 and February 16. The bridge and the Kentucky approach appear to be essentially complete. There was some work underway to install lighting along the bridge. The Indiana approach is still under construction.

The Indiana Department of Transportation, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, and HNTB Corporation held two public meetings this past Wednesday and Thursday to discuss the three favored routes for the I-69 connection between Indiana and Kentucky with local residents. The summary from the local news is that Henderson residents favor the two eastern routes while Evansville residents favor the western route. The Henderson Chamber of Commerce has indicated their support for the eastern routes. I attended the Henderson meeting and overheard some residents' fears that the study has understated the impact of I-69 on houses and farms in eastern Henderson County. Some Henderson residents have suggested building I-69 even further to the east than what is currently proposed. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement is expected to be completed by early 2003, with a final statement and approval by the Federal Highway Administration following in 2004.

Favored routes for two new bridges over the Ohio River have emerged from a group of citizens and officials conducting a study for the Ohio River Bridges Project. Although a final recommendation won't come until next month, alternative C-1 for a downtown bridge and alternative A-15 for an eastern bridge are the clear favorites.

The favorite route for a downtown bridge, C-15, would involve building a new bridge just east of I-65's Kennedy Bridge. Spaghetti Junction, the intersection of I-64, I-65, and I-71, would be rebuilt to accommodate the new bridge and relieve congestion on the interstate. Spaghetti Junction would be shifted to the south. This move would affect the Butchertown and Phoenix Hill neighborhoods in Louisville. The Indiana approach to the bridge would affect downtown Jeffersonville. The designers of Louisville's Riverfront Park anticipated the construction of alternative C-1 into their design for the park. The cost of the project is estimated to be $2 billion and would take 10 years to complete.

The favorite route for the new eastern Jefferson County bridge, A-15, manages to bypass Prospect, KY and Utica, IN to the delight of both communities. The route would connect to the current terminus of the Gene Snyder Freeway at US 42 in Jefferson County pass to the south of Prospect, cross the Ohio River, swing to the north of Utica, IN, and connect to Indiana Route 265. This route involves the construction of a tunnel on the Kentucky to minimize impact on the historic Drumanard Estate. If built this would connect the Kentucky I-265 to Indiana's I-265.

Two public meetings will be held this week to discuss the the I-69 Ohio River crossing. One meeting is tonight at Reitz High School in Evansville and the other is tomorrow night at Henderson County High School in Henderson.

The group studying possible routes for I-69 between I-64 in Indiana and the Breathitt (Pennyrile) Parkway in Kentucky has narrowed the list of alternatives from ten to three routes. The alternatives, unveiled by Kentucky and Indiana highway agencies, the Evansville Urban Transportation Study, and HNTB, include two routes east of Evansville and one route west of Evansville. The other routes were eliminated because of potential damage to the environment, high costs, and low traffic volumes.

The currently preferred route, Corridor 2 (originally listed as H), would follow I-164 from I-64 to the Green River Road interchange before crossing into Kentucky. This route requires the least new construction, shortest Ohio River bridge, and would divert 55% of the traffic from the US 41 bridges. This route is estimated to cost $580 million.

Another route, Corridor 3 (originally listed as I), would also follow part of I-164 but would cross the river east of Angel Mounds State Park and cost $685 million.

The west side route would start at I-64 east of Poseyville, parallel the Vanderburgh county line, cross the Union Township oxbow, and cross into Kentucky. This would require at east eight miles of elevated roadway to cross the oxbow floodplain. This route, Corridor 1 (originally listed as J), would cost $959 million.

The study will now move into the next phase: a draft environmental impact statement is expected early next year.

In Kentucky, I-69 will use existing parkways. Upgrading these parkways to Interstate standards will take ten years or more.

The new William H. Natcher Bridge over the Ohio River at Owensboro will be dedicated at 10:00 am on August 2nd. It has been 62 years since Owensboro's only other Ohio River bridge, the Glover H. Cary Bridge, was dedicated on July 30, 1940.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is planning to study building a new road to the Bob Cummings Bridge over the Ohio River at Hawesville. The new road would connect the bridge to US 60. The new road is being studies because the Indiana Department of Transportation is building a new road (IN 237) to connect the bridge to I-64. The current intersection at the end of the bridge is prone to accidents. The Immaculate Conception Church has been struck by cars failing to stop on seven occasions.

INDOT officials have stated that a loop around Evansville is not part of the I-69 study. The study for "Segment 4" of I-69 is to determine a route to connect I-64 in Indiana to the Pennyrile Parkway near Henderson, Kentucky. Some local residents have asked INDOT to consider building new bridges to the east and to the west of Evansville.

The William H. Natcher Bridge over the Ohio River near Owensboro is expected to open in late-July or early-August. Several tasks still remain to be completed: the construction of two foot-eight inch tall barrier walls on the outside edges of the bridge and down the center of the bridge, application of the final layer of concrete for the driving surface of the bridge, final tensioning of the cable stays, grouting of the cables, and painting of the steel undercarriage of the bridge. No date has been chosen for the grand opening of the bridge.

Owensboro's First Baptist Church has approved the sale of a house across the street from the Cary Bridge approach. This house will now be demolished to allow reconstruction of the interchange at the end of the Cary Bridge. The Cary Bridge is a two-lane bridge over the Ohio River. It carries US 231.

A redesign of Spaghetti Junction, the interchange between I-65, I-64, and I-71 in Louisville, which is planned as part of the Ohio River bridge project could affect the Louisville neighborhood of Butchertown. Local residents are seeking to have the area designated as a preservation district.

Kevin L. Earles, a 23-year veteran employee of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, pleaded guilty on March 28 to federal anti-corruption charges. He was accused of soliciting bribes during an inspection of the Kennedy Bridge over the Ohio River at Louisville. The Kennedy Bridge carries I-65 into Southern Indiana.

"Three of the six proposed routes for an east-end bridge crossing the Ohio River would significantly harm wetlands, endangered animals, creeks and neighborhoods, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says."

This Mar. 25, 2002 article from the Courier-Journal covers some of the things that went into the $22.1 Million study of the environmental impact of the proposed Ohio River bridges. The study and its technical reports stand over eight feet tall. Among the things that went into the report are studies of bats conducted by gluing radio transmitters onto them, dredging the Ohio River to look for mussels, cataloging and analyzing historic properties, and recording noise levels a 178 points. Of course for all of the detail that went into the report, anti-bridge groups claim that it fails to accurately represent the environment of the area.

J. Bryan Nicol, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Transportation, recently made two speeches in Owensboro about the impact of road projects in Southern Indiana on the highway system in Kentucky. INDOT is widening US 231 from the new William H. Natcher Bridge to I-64. This project is expected to be completed in 2007. Eventually the widened US 231 will connect with the I-69 extension providing Owensboro with even better access to the road system.

The city of Russell has decline an offering from the Ohio Department of Transportation to take over the Ironton-Russell Bridge. ODOT is planning on replacing and demolishing the bridge by 2008. The 80-year old bridge costs nearly $100,000 per year to inspect and the Russell city council came to the conclusion that this was well beyond the city's budget.

A new proposal to route I-69 west of Evansville between I-64 and Kentucky is being considered. The new proposal would route I-69 west of Evansville and build an elevated freeway through the Ohio River flood plain in southwestern Vanderburgh County, Indiana. There are currently nine or ten routes under consideration; however, the number of proposals should be narrowed to three or four before public meetings this summer. All nine routes face potential problems with archaeological sites, wetlands, and proposed parks and wildlife refuges in Kentucky.

The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer reports in this article (no longer online) that the final section of the William H. Natcher Bridge has been placed. The new cable-stayed bridge over the Ohio River is expected to open in late July or early August.

The Courier-Journal reports in this Feb. 4, 2002 article that public meeting will be held this week to discuss the Louisville-Southern Indiana bridge project. More information about the project can be found at www.kyinbridges.com. The public is invited to comment on the projects until Feb. 25.

The Ashland Daily Independent reports in this article that ODOT will close the Ironton-Russell Bridge between Ironton, OH and Russell, KY will be closed if temperatures drop to around 5 degrees below zero. This is due to concerns about the steel structure of the bridge. The University of Cincinnati has been conducting tests on the 80-year-old structure since 1999.

This Courier-Journal article reports that the city of Prospect dislikes all alternatives for an eastern bridge over the Ohio River in Jefferson County. Their favorite of the alternatives, however, is the alternative that bypasses Prospect. The Prospect city council claims that several proposed routes would make sections of the town uninhabitable.

Nine possible routes have been picked in the Evansville area according to this Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer article (no longer online). The routes include routes using I-164 east of Evansville and new terrain routes west of Evansville. Some would like to see I-69 be built west of Evansville to relieve truck traffic from industrial areas along the Ohio River in Posey County.

The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer reports in this article that work on the Natcher Bridge is progressing well. Only three sections of the deck remain to placed, and they should be in place by the first of the year. The bridge and approaches are expected to be complete around the end of July.

According to this Courier-Journal article a federal grand jury in Louisville indicted Kevin Lee Earles, 41, on three counts of extortion for allegedly demanding bribes that totaled $18,000. Earles was a KYTC inspector for painting work being done on the Kennedy Bridge in Louisville. He reportedly told a painting-company executive that there was a ''history'' of making payments to inspectors.

The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer reports in this article (no longer online) that state budget cuts may affect road projects in the Owensboro area; however, most appear to be on track. While projects such as an eastern extension of the US 60 By-pass, the William H. Natcher bridge, and other work on US 60 are expected to be funding. Work on roads such as Southtown Boulevard was to be funded by surplus money which may no longer be available.

The long awaited Draft Environmental Impact Study of the Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridge Project is complete. The study details several options for recommended improvements, including the no build option, several options for downtown bridge, options for new bridge in eastern Jefferson County, and options considering the effect of two new bridges. A number of public meetings and open houses have been scheduled. The DEIS can be found here and articles about the DEIS from the Courier-Journal can be found here.

The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer reports in this Nov. 8, 2001 article (no longer online) that plans for a wildlife refuge in Henderson County might interfere with proposed paths for I-69 between Henderson and Evansville.

The Union County Advocate reports in this Nov. 7, 2001 article reports that the proposed Interstate 69 route across the Ohio River into Kentucky will be discussed at a public hearing set for next Thursday, November 15 at South Middle School's gym in Henderson.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports in this article that a second lawsuit has been filed over alleged illegal activity regarding inspection of the Kennedy Bridge. In this lawsuit, a KYTC employee claims he was demoted after reporting that state inspectors were falsifying records, getting kickbacks from a supplier and soliciting bribes from contractors.

This Oct. 31, 2001 article (no longer online) reports that a Kentucky Department of Highways official told the Henderson Lions Club that construction on I-69 is still six to ten years away. It also reports that no final route for I-69 in Kentucky has been announced and that construction of an Ohio River crossing could take more than five years to complete.

The Courier-Journal reports in this Oct. 25, 2001 article that a lawsuit has been filed claiming that KYTC officials and bridge inspectors solicited bribes regarding repainting work on the Kennedy Bridge over the Ohio River in Louisville.

The Henderson Gleaner reports in this Oct. 23, 2001 article (no longer online) that transportation officials from Indiana and Kentucky are planning a public meeting for November 15 to discuss possible routes for I-69 between Henderson and Evansville.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports in this article that an old railroad bridge over the Ohio River near Newport which was converted to vehicle traffic has been closed and will be reopened as a pedestrian bridge.

The Gleaner (Henderson) reports in this October 4, 2001 article (no longer online) that an assistant state highway engineer told the Henderson Chamber of Commerce that very few decisions have been made. Among other things, he told the group that the Indiana Department of Transportation is taking the lead in choosing a route for I-69 between Evansville and Henderson. He pointed out that it still has not been decided whether the interstate should cross the Ohio River east or west of Evansville. He also said that while upgrading existing parkways to interstate standards remains an option for routing I-69 in Kentucky that is not the only option being considered. He said that the decisions will only be made after a period of public involvement.

As a side note, I once asked the KYTC if any of the parkways meet interstate standards and the response was that none of Kentucky's parkways meet interstate standards. Work would have to be done to any of the parkways that might be included as part of the eventual routing of I-69 and I-66.

The Gleaner (Henderson) reports in this Oct. 3, 2001 piece (no longer online) that state transportation engineers met today with the Henderson Chamber of Commerce about I-69 and US 60; however, there were no other details.

The Courier-Journal reports in this Sept. 7, 2001 article that the results of a study outlining the strengths and weaknesses of nine possible bridge routes linking Jefferson County and Southern Indiana are expected next month. The eastern bridge alternatives would link I-265 in Indiana and Kentucky. Already, groups are preparing to fight both for and against the proposed bridges.

The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer reports in this August 11, 2001 article (no longer online) that one lane of the Glover H. Cary Bridge over the Ohio River will be closed this week for the installation of fiber optic cable.

A new feature on the William H. Natcher Bridge has been added to the web site. It contains an overview of the project, a map of the project area, photographs of the bridge taken on August 9, 2001, and links to other sources of information about the bridge.

The William H. Natcher Bridge is currently being built over the Ohio River near Owensboro. It is expected to be the new route of US 231 when complete.

The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer reports in this July 22, 2001 article (no longer online) that work on the new cable stayed bridge over the Ohio River near Owensboro should be complete in about a year. The new bridge will carry US 231 and will divert traffic from the existing bridge in downtown Owensboro.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports in this July 27, 2001 article that the U.S. Senate may approve a bill authorizing $2 million to begin a study on replacing Brent Spence Bridge over the Ohio River in 2002. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet had been planning to start the study in 2006.

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